The Maid with Poison in her Veins
by Aglaia Agaue
Summary: MeiClaude? Romance? Angst? I don't know… I don't want to spoil anything but let's just say it's a tragic love story... { Rated M because of the last chapter }
1. Playing Princess

Mei-Rin was just walking around the somewhat quiet mansion. Today was the master's 15th Birthday Ball. All were invited, even the Trancys. Nobody cared whether or not Ciel wanted them to join, they were invited by the young mistress, since they're to get married in a few years. Lady Elizabeth lived with them now, and it was a surprise that today was such a quiet day. Mei rarely got breaks when such event was to occur. "M-Mister Sebastian?" She stuttered.

"Yes Mei-Rin?" He asked back, he was clearly busy with the preparation for the ball. "M-May I go get something a-around town?" She asked nicely. Since Ciel didn't want to see anyone's face at all, he planned a masquerade ball. Nobody could know at first who was who, only themselves. So, to follow orders, she was going to go out to get an affordable dress and a mask that matches it.

She didn't know why she wanted to look so presentable in _this_ particular ball. Mostly, she thought that she might catch someone's attention, having gotten over of Sebastian. "Surely. But please do arrive on time even though you will not be on duty tonight. Look presentable and don't embarrass the young master."

"O-Of course Mister Sebastian!" She ran out the door, almost breaking a glass statue that was nearby.

Her mind was made up. She was going to act more like a guest then a worker, so, she'd taken off her glasses, placed a few touches of makeup to emphasize her accents, and pulled her hair back elegantly rather than having to pig-tales like she usually did. A red dress with a dash of white crystals on top give her the look she was going for, which was topped off with black heels. She slowly made herself down the stairs, careful not to trip. "Alright. Here we go." She slowly placed her blackened mask, adding wonder to herself. The mask was covered in black lace and a few white stones to give it that glow she wanted. The mask was originally a plain, white mask, but she added those touches that when she looked into the mirror, she hardly recognized herself.

"Madam, the party isn't to start in a few minutes. How did you get in?" Finny asked while she looked at her refection.

"Finny. It's me. Mei-Rin?"

"Mei-Rin? Oh goodness! You look so beautiful!"

"C'mon. I'm not _that_ beautiful. I'm just doing this for fun."

"Alright! But if a man falls in love with you tonight I wouldn't blame him!" He giggled as he walked into the garden.

Thank the mask that covered her blush, she was burning from shame. Had she overdressed? She sat on the chair farthest to the corner, now a bit regretful of her decisions. But it was already too late for a change, she had already wasted her time and money on this and people already started to pour in.

No one new sat by her, but she didn't mind. Finny, Bard, and Tanaka were at the table with her as she watched the couples waltz around the ballroom. Ciel was dancing with his fiancée and Sebastian, out of courtesy, was dancing with Paula. Her eyes shifted to a blonde boy entering the room with a tall man next to him. No one seemed to give a care except a young brunette that ran to the blonde, quickly beginning to dance. "Hmm… If only one person was as exited to dance with me." She sighed, Finny quickly turned to her.

"The time will come May! Just think happy thoughts!" His smile as childish as his tone. His eyes shifted to the man that newly stood next to her. "May I have this dance?" He asked genuinely. Her eyes turned to him and his hand waiting for her grab. "S-Sure." Her hand took his and he gently pulled her up to stand. His pale lips kissed her knuckle and once again she blushed harshly.

When they reached the dance floor a somewhat slow love song began to play, her blush harshening a bit more. As they began to dance a bit too close for comfort, she began to analyze him. He was tall, had raven black hair that was as proper as a man should have it, his eyes were a light brown that almost looked yellowed, his smirk beautiful yet seductive. His attire was on point and his mask was just breathtaking. It was a black laced mask that almost looked like spider webs, with some silver and golden glitter placed around it that made it looked like spiders were around it. Her thoughts were cut short as he dipped her ( when the leading dancer lowers the follower slowly and "swoops" her/him from the left to right; mostly used on the dance known as Tango or Flamenco ) and brought her up, faces only inches apart. "Thank you for the dance." She thanked.

"Thank you for accepting." He got to one knee and once again kissed her knuckle. "My lady." Her blush returned and he stood, turned, and then walked away. "My my… Such a mystery." She sighed happily as she walked to her table. "Oi! Mei!" Bard called as Finny was clapping happily. She saw a red rose and a note on her side on the table. She took the letter that sat underneath it.

_My Lady in Red,_

_You have somewhat enchanted me with the dance we've shared. If you are to accept my rose, you are accepting my heart. For it has been bewitched by you. Red, the color of passion, heat, and most of all, love. I'll be under the moonlight, when the moon's at its fullest, in the place where blue roses bloom, waiting patiently for you. If you come, I'll present you with another request. If, although, you leave me with no hand to hold onto, then I'll sleep yet another lonely night with the thought of you._

_With the most sincerity,_

_Claude Faustus, the butler of the Trancy Estate_


	2. Spiders Don't Play

_Now what did you think Mei-Rin did after receiving that invitation? She left as soon as she saw that moon he spoke of, which was a few days after the ball. The date was left with a few love quotes and a meal in one of the most expensive restaurants in London. They had a somewhat romantic evening, and Mei-Rin fell in a matter of seconds. Yes, he looked like Sebastian, with the exception of his glasses and eyes, and he talked almost like Sebastian. The height, the way he'd dress, everything reminded her of him. Maybe that was why, but she did. She fell in love. She was being loved. _

_Claude in the other hand, feel enchanted with her. She gave him that heat he was desperately looking for. She gave him that thrill of going out on dates and having to woo her to get her into his spider web. All the spider wanted was to tangle this innocent butterfly into his deadly thread. Once again, he didn't care at all for her, not even if her soul was a waist of his time. He just wanted a soul, even if it were not worthy._

_Night began to fall, and it was finally Mei-Rin's time to go bed for the day. It had been an awfully long day of work, and to her surprise, she felt glad that she could rest peacefully now. She dressed herself for bed, quickly laying on the bed and setting her head onto the pillow. "Goodnight." She wished herself before letting her eyes slowly shut and fall into deep slumber._

_"__Hey! Who are you?!" She screamed, her body completely soaked as the weather worsened. It was dark, the street was empty. The only ray of light was given by the red moon. The rays over a man who had his head down. Black wings quickly spread, feathers of the same color flowing around the wind. His head lifted, but all she could see was a rack of sharp teeth as his mouth. "Answer me!" She shouted once more._

_"__I'm your worst nightmare love." He chuckled darkly, red eyes glowing. He began to walk towards her, his black nails growing to be claws. "N-No!" She ran, hearing the heels of both her and him hitting the cold street ground. Her legs feeling as if something had shot them. Falling to the floor, her surroundings changed. Water became blood, and what she thought were buildings became a dark, almost black, mist. Her head turned to see those golden eyes greet her. "Now now… Don't run away like that my little butterfly. I wouldn't want you to get hurt."_

_She was about to say something before she felt a hand around her throat, choking her slightly, his nails digging into her veins. The pain was unbearable. It felt as if someone had just injected her with the deadliest of poison, yet she was not dying. "Don't fright… The pain will only last forever." He chuckled once more, taking a clawed finger and digging it into the maid's left eye, blood spilling everywhere. Her vision burred, and all she could see was another claw being injected into her other eye._

_She screamed as she woke, her body sitting up at the reaction of the nightmare. She was a sweating mess, and her body was shaking horribly. That's when a cold breeze ran through her, making her realize of her nudity, covering herself quickly when she realized so. Looking around, she could only see chains hanging from the ceiling. Black colored candles lighting up the room. "U-Umm… Hello?" She asked, feeling someone else in the room. Chains moved quickly by themselves, taking hold of her wrists and ankles, lifting her of the bed and making her body form an X shape._

_"__Well well… Look who we have here trapped in my little web." A familiar dark chuckle rung her ears._

_"__N-No! Stop!" She screamed. Was she still in that nightmare? _

_"__Now now…" Chains tightened their grip and stretched her more. "Calm down my little butterfly. I won't hurt you… At least not now." An almost psychopathic laugh escaped his lips. The pure white bed sheet slithered up her, wrapping around her tightly, creating a dress. It was almost like a wedding gown, but it was short lived as it began to color itself red, then black, blood beginning to drip down the girl's leg. "What do you want from me?!" She sobbed, a crown made of red roses forming on her head. Thorns began to dig into her head, making her blood boil like lava._

_"__I want your soul, Mey-Rin. Unfortunately, since my master was a waste and your master won't sacrifice his life for you, then I may as well make a meal out of you." He chuckled darkly and began to walk towards her, chains now letting her wrists and ankles breathe, yet it wasn't a good feeling. Her body leaned forward and she was too weak, too scared to move even a single muscle. "W-Why me? Why torcher me? I never did anything to provoke this…" She sobbed, her tears turning into blood._

_"__Your soul, it gives me the heat I seek. Innocent yet… how do I say this? Provocative." He chuckled once more. The once invisible figure walked into the light. A grin only growing, showing his razor sharp teeth. "C-Claude?" She looked up to him, a small smile forming on her lips. Her hair being yanked forwards, closer to his head. "Smiling will get you nowhere. Once you wake you'll see what it has cost you." He laughed and pushed her away, chains breaking easily and her body falling on the bed._

_Eyes opened and her room was filled with the sun's warm rays. Her body weak from the nightmares she had that night. "Morning…" She wished to herself, letting a yawn out as she sat back up. __**"Hello…"**_

_"__What? Who's there?!" She looked around the room, seeing that no one was there. _

**_"_****_The demon walked around. Turning smiles upside down. He's to come to you at four o' two. To make your life go… boom." The voice of a little boy laughed as it faded away._**

_"__Finny…? Bard…? Are you toying with me?" She looked around once more, but decided that it could be in her head. She got ready in a matter of minutes, quickening her pace since she'd woken up late. Her glasses fell to the floor, cracking one of the lenses. "I'm so late I'm so late I'm so late!" She repeated to herself, twisting the knob to see it had been locked from the outside. "Hello? Finny, Bard, this isn't funny!" She banged in the door._

_"__Stop. You'll wake the master." Sebastian was sitting by the window, looking out of it. "And if you do then I'll have to kill you now instead of later."_

_"__W-What?" She turned to him. "H-Have I d-done something to u-upset you M-Mister S-Sebastian?"_

_"__You can drop the act. At least be yourself for the last hours of your life." His head snapped to her. "Since you are to lose your mind in short time." He chuckled and stood._

_"__L-Lose my…" Her head felt as if it were filled with nothing but air and was about to pop. __**"Times running out… He will come and get you…" He laughed, being the same little boy as before. "He will rip you to shreds slowly and oh so painfully… Just like he did me… You can run, you can hide, but he will find you… Tick tock tick tock, how time is running out… Tick tock tick tock, you'll fall into the ground… Tick tock tick tock, he'll make you want to shout… Tick tock tick tock…. You're time… Will… Run… Out." He laughed, the sound of it echoing in her head.**_

_"__SHUT UP! STOP IT NO!" She went to her knees, swaying back and forth grabbing the roots of her hair. "STOP MOCKING ME!"_

_"__And now you see… You've been ensnared by the spider and now you're stuck in its web. Death is the only thing that will set you free." He walked passed her and to the door. "The master has awoken thanks to your screams, but do enjoy your day." He chuckled, almost laughing, as he left the room, door completely wide open._


	3. Goodbye My Dear Life

_"__Come on.. Let's have a little chat shall we? Why don't we lose our minds together?" It was the boy once more._

"I WON'T! I CAN'T! I'M NOT CRAZY-"

_"__That's what I thought too… Until he betrayed me…" This time, he sounded as if he was in pain._

"W-Who are you?" She asked, looking into the mirror to see a young boy. Skin as white as snow and hair as golden as honey. _"My name is Alois… Alois Trancy." He looked into the mirror to give off a fake smile, knowing that it was known to be so._

"What happened to you?" Mei-Rin walked to the mirror, getting a better view of both him, and her scars.

_"__If you're going to ask questions I'll just give you the entire story. Once upon a time, a young boy made a contract just to get out of his foul life. He was a butterfly with ripped wings and was now stuck in a giant web. A spider, eyes made of gold, said to him: 'I will do as you wish, in exchange for your purity and soul.' The boy, desperate for an exit, accepted the offer, only to fall in love with the cause of his death. Time passed, and the spider grew tired of having to carry the butterfly around, and saw another that could fly well on its own. The broken butterfly did all it could to bring the spider back to him, but he just killed him… He didn't even eat him… Was the butterfly that worthless?"_

"I-I'm sorry…" _The boy smirked at her words and the mirror cracked. "Ten years of bad luck isn't it?" He laughed as every window, door. Anything that brought in a major light source closed, leaving her in a dark, candle lit room. _All she could see where children smiling up at her, all singing some lullaby that shot chills up her spine.

_"__There was a little girl, who all she had was grief, so desperate and jealous, she met Mr. Faustus, and immediately got deceived. Sin poisoned her veins, and she made a big mistake. She let the devil get her, she let him get _

_away." And they repeated the same on and on, their faces turning from innocent, to pure evil. She could even see fangs in the corner of the children's lips._

"W-Who are you?" She asked, her head pounding and shaking in fear.

"They are our children, my little butterfly." Someone whispered into her ear, and her eyes began to tear up when she realized who it was.

"What do you want with me?!" She screamed, nowhere to go since the children began to circle her and Claude. All he did was chuckle and slammed her against the mirror, shards of glass digging into her back. Filled with adrenaline, she hardly felt a thing nor made a sound. In a blink of an eye, she dug a large shard of glass into his heart, and he smirked at her idiotic try of killing him. "Do you think I, a demon, could be killed with glass?" His hand took hold of her wrist and broke it, this time making her groan loudly at the pain. The children were already gone, but that horrible lullaby kept playing in her head, each time getting louder and louder. "I.. Will never give you my soul!" She took another shard and dug it into his neck, still not having an effect on him and having multiple fingers broken.

This time, all she could do was hope that this last try did the trick. A tear ran down her face as she took another shard and Claude gladly watch to see her try. 'Finny… Bard.. All of you.. I love you..' She said to herself, another tear running down her face.

"Silly human. If only your soul wasn't as delicio-"

Red went everywhere in the room. The children began to disappear and light was slowly coming out of closed windows. It was done, she gave her last try. With the biggest shard of glass she could reach and take a hold of, she dug it as far as she could into her heart – which wasn't as deep but still a lethal wound. "I will never give you my soul.." She whispered, knees caving in. Her knees hit the floor, causing useless bruises and somehow, there was no pain. She felt nothing, nothing but relief. "So damn you for ruining my life…" This made the demon chuckle and kneel before her.

"Oh little one, the only one that has ruined your life, was yourself. It is true, I won't have your soul, but I will have the soul of another. And wouldn't you think that a demon's already damned?"

It felt as if time stopped, there was nothing she could do now, her heart was slowing down its beat, but she still managed to speak. "W-Why?" She barely managed to ask.

"Oh it's simple, I want your young master's soul, and so, I must take out all of my enemies. Even if a little seduction has to be included. You were so desperate, so weak, that you'd fall for anyone. If only you would have waited, I am sure one of those servants could have fallen for you. If only someone confessed their feelings for you sooner, well, I would have had a bigger, more exciting challenge. Sadly you've made this… too easy for me." He, in Mei-Rin's eyes, turned into a shadow and somehow disappeared into the light. She could hear someone screaming her name, but it was too late. Her eyes slowly shut, and everything went black.

Until, that laugh came again. _"Isn't this enchanting, I've found a new friend! Welcome!"_

"Where are we?" Mei-Rin asked. She was wearing nothing but a white dress, torn at the end of its long sleeves and dirtied at the bottom as if she ran in mud. Her hair was set free, and there was no one to be found but that little boy, and the others that surrounded her while she had her so called fight with Claude. _"Welcome… to your worst nightmare." Alois said, his smirk growing and the other children's face began to deform. Their eyes, nostrils, and mouth sunk back. Blood began to spill from their eyeballs as it turned to putty, and Alois had just a few tears stained with blood running down his face, filled with anger and sorrow. The children began to scream and the corners of their mouths began to rip apart, making half of their face a giant, blood spilling jaws as fangs began to grow – blackening because of the blood._

* * *

Eyes opened to show that she was in a white room, her arms wrapped around her chest. She couldn't move, she couldn't touch, and all she did was see. See that someone was watching her by a little window by the door. It was him. "Finny?" She managed to say before he left. He looked concerned this time, so she wondered what was happening. No one visited her, no one cared for her, only him. He would sometimes visit with Bard, but she knew it was too much for the other. Finny was the only one who understood, the only one who knew how it felt to have your mind whisked away.

All of a sudden, she heard a scream from the outside of the door, and everything went to silence. "H-Hello?" She didn't know what was happening. No one answered, no one opened the door. The only thing she heard was her beating heart and the small pants that left her pale lips. "Nice to see you again, my little butterfly."


End file.
